Being Prepared For Reactivity: Recognise the First Signs of Discomfort in Your Dog

Reactivity doesn't come out of nowhere.

There are many signs that our dog is becoming overwhelmed, if we watch those signs and get our dogs the space they need, we help them to feel safe. Feeling safe is the first step to avoiding and recovering from reactive behaviour.

We work out the way our dogs feel by observing what they do and what changes on the outside to give us the information that something on the inside has changed for them too.

Dogs will always tell us how they feel. Their body language is unmistakable with even the smallest amount of knowledge and observation.

The people who naturally observe their dogs as part of living with them can often tell the feelings of their dogs with no formal education in canine body language.

Sadly though in this world of high distractions where we are rushed as humans onto the next thing and the next dopamine hit, dog’s requests and emotional communications can be misread or even not read at all.

To really understand how our dogs feel we need to learn both general dog body language and our own dog’s unique way of communicating.

We also need to sharpen our own eyes to recognise changes early, we can even look at it like a game.

Let’s take a look at some body shapes and facial expressions that we might see.

Body Language 

Canine body language provides lots of insight when we observe it with devotion and understanding.

Dogs have their own personalities and distinctive ways of communicating. However, there are universal signs and signals that reveal how a dog feels, which we can interpret with practice and patience.

Start by studying your dog’s neutral state.

Observe how they look when they’re calm and not experiencing strong emotions such as fear or excitement. Note the position of their ears, the expression in their eyes, and the carriage of their tail. These features often depend on breed traits.

Interested

For example, some dogs naturally carry their tails high, while others might have a lower tail set.

A neutral tail can indicate a calm state, while a tail positioned higher than neutral often suggests arousal or interest in the environment.

Conversely, a tail below neutral might signal fear or anxiety.

Think of a tail like a flag — the higher it rises above neutral, the more confident or alert the dog is feeling. Similarly, the further the tail dips below neutral, the more likely the dog is experiencing stress or discomfort.

Fearful

Ears are another key indicator. A dog’s ear position changes with their emotions, though the specific movements depend on the dog’s natural ear shape. For instance, pricked ears may signal alertness, while ears pulled back often indicate fear or unease.

Greeting

Even floppy-eared dogs convey similar signals, though their movements might appear subtler, with the ears shifting to the sides or flattening slightly. Ear position also correlates with facial tension; a relaxed face with neutral ears typically shows contentment, while ears pulled back might accompany tight lips and a tense expression.

Asking for Space

Posture completes the picture. A neutral posture is loose and relaxed, with no tension in the body. A happy, relaxed dog might appear wiggly, smiling, and generally “soft” from head to tail.

In contrast, a fearful dog may crouch with their tail tucked under, attempting to appear smaller.

Meanwhile, a confrontational dog might puff up, creating an impression of size to ward off potential threats.

The key is to recognise whether the tension stems from fear or assertiveness, as this often dictates whether the dog may choose to flee or engage with the source of their discomfort.

Understanding your dog’s unique neutral position is vital, as it serves as a baseline for recognising changes in body language.

While you likely already know how they appear when happy or distressed, refining your awareness of subtler shifts will deepen your understanding.

Environmental Stressors

I have recently adopted a little dog who simply cannot cope with environmental stressors at the moment. I suspect she was very poorly socialised if socialised at all. She's a very sweet little love.

Darcie

My point is that I know how hard it is to help your dog in a World that seems to just keep coming at you. It's very easy to become stressed ourselves when we can't protect our little dog friend from loose dogs and their people who just don't understand. Darcie is learning to be confident in general first, she's learning that she can control her space by adapting our walks - but we are lucky enough to have a good woodland nearby.

I know how it feels when it all goes wrong though, how worrying and stressful and even sad it can be.

How we can blame ourselves! Remember this though, your dog's responses are NOT YOUR FAULT.

You dog is struggling in a World that worries them. And each time you create safety and/or confidence in them, you are helping to regulate their nervous system. Most of my books are written on this very topic.

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